Still Time to Join in the Discussion on Bullying!Libraries host community forums on bullying. What is it? How do we prevent it?

Birmingham, Alabama—The Birmingham Public Library and the David Mathews Center for Civic Life invite the public to participate in one of the three remaining Alabama Issues Forum on bullying. Forums will be held May 18 through 23 at three libraries in the Birmingham Public Library System. All programs are free and open to the public.

Bullying is an issue that has been brought to the national consciousness with recent events including the YouTube® video of a bus monitor being bullied by middle school students as well as several recent stories of the tragic suicides of students resulting from relentless bullying.

Nearly a third of students experience bullying each year, and more than 160,000 young people miss school each day due to fears of being bullied. While Alabama continues to make progress related to bullying, the statistics and stories of bullied students are alarming. Reducing bullying incidents will require us working together as a community, and the educational and public safety effects of ignoring this issue are grave.

The Birmingham Public Library and the David Matthews Center for Civic Life invite the citizens of our communities to engage in an open forum with the opportunity to carefully weigh different approaches to and perspectives on the issue of bullying. “There is no higher office than the office of citizen, and deliberative forums give citizens a chance to talk through what they hold valuable related to an issue,” says Chris McCauley, Executive Director of the David Mathews Center. “Bullying is an issue that can affect schools, communities, and office environments. It’s up to citizens to think through creative, community-based solutions to address the issue.”

ABOUT THE DAVID MATHEWS CENTER FOR CIVIC LIFE
The David Mathews Center for Civic Life is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, non-partisan, tax-exempt corporation. Its purpose is to foster infrastructure, habits, and capacities for more effective civic engagement and innovative decision making. More information can be found on the center’s website: http://mathewscenter.org.

FOR MORE INFORMATION
Please check with your local Birmingham Public Library for additional program offerings and program updates. For more information, contact Sandi Lee, Birmingham Public Library, (205) 226-3742 or visit the library’s website at www.bplonline.org. Be sure to follow us on Facebook and Twitter. The mission of Birmingham Public Library is to provide the highest quality library service to our citizens for life-long learning, cultural enrichment, and enjoyment. This system—with nineteen locations and serving the community for 126 years—is one of the largest library systems in the southeast.

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MEDIA: This release gives the corrected date for the Bullying Forum at the Central Library. The discussion is scheduled for Monday, May 20 at the downtown location at 2100 Park Place. Media Coverage of the event is welcomed. For additional information, please contact Angela Fisher Hall at (205) 226-3614.